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Personal Trainer Aims To Hit Home

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By LAURA FRAZIER, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 29, 2007

VALRICO - Linda Thornton is halfway to reaching the fitness goals she set for herself last summer. If she sticks to her regimen - eat right, take a morning walk around the neighborhood, work out at the gym six days a week - she figures she will meet her objectives by summer.

To keep her routine on track, the Brandon woman spends an hour each week training one-on-one with Vick Brown, owner of Brown's Mobile Fitness Department.

Brown takes his personalized one-hour training sessions to his clients, meeting them at their homes, local parks or wherever they feel comfortable working out.

He hauls a trailer full of exercise equipment to sessions throughout the Tampa Bay area 'to keep it interesting and so they don't get bored,' he said.

Brown met Thornton last week at Progress Village Community Center in Tampa for muscle toning and strengthening work using free weights and exercise balls.

'I like the upper body work like bench presses and using dumbbells for the biceps and triceps,' Thornton said.

Training sessions are held at clients' homes, inside the house or in driveways, backyards or on patios. Brown also offers an obstacle course exercise session for a cardio-intense workout. He sets up his stair- and wall-climbing apparatus, tunnels, tractor tires and traffic cones at public parks with open field space.

Some patrons like to switch things up occasionally with a sports session, Brown said. He schedules park outings for up to three people to play tennis, football, basketball and soccer.

Thanks to Brown, Thornton said, she has lost weight and gained a new attitude about fitness.

'I've learned that numbers are not always your true measure, something that Vick stresses. Focusing on toning up makes more of a difference than focusing on the pounds,' Thornton said.

Brown played professional minor-league baseball until 2001, when he left the New York Yankees AAA division to spend more time with his son.

In baseball, he said, 'You travel seven or eight months out of the year, and there's not a lot of opportunity to spend with your family.'

Now a full-time Pasco County firefighter, Brown started his personal training business six months ago because 'I've always been athletic and enjoy helping others do the same.'

Thornton said the weekly training sessions help keep her eyes on the prize.

'I need that accountability, and Vick really pushes me to that next level of being consistent,' she said.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Brown's Mobile Fitness Department

WHERE: 2101 Briarcliff Cove, Valrico

INFO: (813) 784-5543

COST: Four one-hour sessions are $35 each; groups of up to 3 people are $25 per person each week. A one-time body assessment fee is $20.00.

Reporter Laura Frazier can be reached at (813) 657-4523 or lfrazier@tampatrib.com.

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